MAY 2019 news

Naval Forces, Defense Industry, Navy Technology, Maritime Security


On May 06, during the US Navy League's annual Sea-Air-Space Exposition, Angie Knappenberger, deputy director of air warfare for the deputy chief of naval operations warfare systems, told industry leaders and reporters that she anticipates the first flight of the MQ-25 aerial tanker prototype could take place "in a month or so".

With the renewed threat from North Korea and the rising challenges of an assertive China, South Korea has initiated a range of naval, air and land acquisition programs that will support the Republic of Korea’s transition towards developing a robust, deployable, conventional power projection and deterrence focused force. Through its new naval programme, the ROK Navy looks forward to transitioning toward a Blue Water Navy.

Chinese and Russian naval ships participating in the “Joint Sea-2019” exercise left the port of Dagang in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province for the designated drill area on the morning of May 01. There were two breakthroughs worth paying attention to in the maritime live-fire drills.

The Irish Navy took delivery of its fourth and final offshore patrol vessel (OPV) of the Samuel Beckett class during a naming and commissioning ceremony held in Waterford, Ireland, on May 1 in the presence of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Defense Paul Kehoe. Commissioning and handover of LE George Bernard Shaw bring to a close one phase - the patrol vessel element - of the Naval Service Ship Replacement Program, a strategy launched in 2007 under the Irish Navy's 30-year in-service rule.

Cochin Shipyard Limited said it signed a contract for construction and supply of 8 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships with the Indian Navy. This comes as India recently also awarded GRSE a contract for the building of 8 ASW shallow water crafts (ASWSWCs).

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